Visitors to the South End should understand while the area is very family-friendly, it is also very gay friendly place. Same sex couples are a common sight. Visitors who do not wish to visit the "Gay area" of town should refrain from visiting.

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Visitors to the South End should understand while the area is very family-friendly, it is also very gay friendly place. Same sex couples are a common sight. Visitors who do not wish to visit the "Gay area" of town should refrain from visiting. If you don't like to hang out with gays that's ok too.

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Revision as of 21:36, 10 March 2009

The South End, with its blocks of Victorian brick row houses, upscale restaurants, and art galleries, is swiftly becoming one of the most popular places to live in Boston. Many of the row houses underwent renovation starting in the 1960s. Located just minutes from downtown and the Back Bay, in recent years the South End has become one of Boston’s most popular neighborhoods. It has attracted a diverse blend of families, young professionals, a gay and lesbian community and a thriving artistic center to this Boston Landmark District. You will be sure to notice the South End’s renowned Victorian brownstone buildings and homes as you walk along Tremont Street, Columbus Avenue, Washington Street and Massachusetts Avenue. Small business owners also enjoy the amenities of the South End and are supported by the national award winning Washington Gateway Main Streets Program. Some of Boston’s finest restaurants, a thriving arts community and nearly thirty parks also call the South End home.

Contents

Get in

The MBTA Silver Line[1]: Transfer to the Silver Line from the Red Line [2] at the Downtown Crossing Station, from the Orange Line [3] at the New England Medical Center Station, or from the Green Line [4] at the Boyslton Street Station. The Silver Line follows Washington Street into the heart of Boston's South End neighborhood with stops at:

New England Medical Center (walk 2 blocks south on Washington Street. Once you cross Herald Street you are there).

Herald Street (the most northern section of the South End)

East Berkeley Street (the northern section of the South End)

Union Park Street (the center section of the South End)

West Newton Street (the center section of the South End)

Worcester Square (the southern section of the South End)

Massachusetts Avenue (the most southern section of the South End)

The MBTA Green Line[5]: The Green Line follows the border between Boston's Back Bay and South End neighborhoods with stops for the South End at:

Arlington Street (walk 2 blocks south on Arlington Street. Once you cross Columbus Avenue you are there).

Copley Square (walk 2 blocks south on Dartmouth Street. Once you cross Columbus Avenue you are there).

The Orange Line MBTA[6]: The Orange Line follows the border between Boston's Back Bay and South End neighborhoods with a stop for the South End at:

New England Medical Center (walk 2 blocks south on Washington Street. Once you cross Herald Street you are there).

Back Bay Station (walk 1 block south on either Clarendon Street or Dartmouth Street. Once you cross Columbus Avenue you are there).

Massachusetts Avenue (walk 1 block south on Massachusetts Avenue. Once you cross Columbus Avenue you are there).

The MBTA Providence Commuter Rail Line[7]: The Orange Line follows the border between Boston's Back Bay and South End neighborhoods with a stop for the South End at:

Back Bay Station (walk 1 block south on either Clarendon Street or Dartmouth Street. Once you cross Columbus Avenue you are there).

The MBTA Needham Commuter Rail Line[8]: The Orange Line follows the border between Boston's Back Bay and South End neighborhoods with a stop for the South End at:

Back Bay Station (walk 1 block south on either Clarendon Street or Dartmouth Street. Once you cross Columbus Avenue you are there).

See

South End has some of the most wonderful restored brownstones in the area, which offers a stark contrast from the modernism of some other parts of Boston. It is also a very enjoyable place to stroll in the evenings. Many small gardens and parks are tucked between the warren of small, intimate streets.

Bay Village is one of the smallest neighborhoods in Boston, about 6 square blocks around Piedmont Street east of Arlington. After the original mud flats were drained in the early 1800s, many craftsmen involved in the construction of Beacon Hill's premier residences built their own modest but well-crafted houses here. Consequently, there are many architectural similarities between these two neighborhoods. It wasn't until the Prohibition years (1920s) that Bay Village got its bohemian ambience. It has now become the center for Boston's gay community.

Do

Counter-Productions Theatre Company, [9]. A collaborative group of imaginative and driven people passionate about Theatre that creates high-quality, thought-provoking productions in the greater Boston area and throughout New England. Its home is at the Factory Theatre at the Piano Factory on 791 Tremont St. Visit the website for performance details.

The Factory Theatre, 791 Tremont St (Entrance in back, off Northampton St.), ☎617-817-6600, [10]. The Factory Theatre is a 49 seat Black Box Theatre, with high ceilings and beautiful exposed bricks. Home to some of the best fringe theatre in Boston.

Buy

Trendy restaurants brush shoulders with coffeshops and Mom & Pop grocery stores along Tremont Street and its side streets all the way down to Washington Street (link to Wash. Main Streets), which is experiencing an artistic revival - a significant number of artists are moving in, and galleries are cropping up around the area to show their works.

Eat

The last several years have seen a resurgence of new restaurants in the South End, particularly on Tremont and Washington streets. South End dining tends to be fairly expensive, especially towards the north side of it, near Union Park Street.

Addis Red Sea, 544 Tremont Street. Cheap and tasty Ethiopian Food.

Appleton Bakery Cafe, 123 Appleton Street, [11]. A great place to have lunch. The menu has variety of imaginative and delicious sandwiches as well as several prepared dishes changing daily. Appleton also brews very good coffee and caries an eclectic selection of chocolates and snack foods. There is a moderate amount of seating.

The Butcher Shop, 552 Tremont Street. This is a new wine bar/French and Italian bistro, part of the No. 9 Group of Boston Restaurants (with No. 9 Park and B&G Oysters) serving fresh cuts of premium meat, a healthy variety of cheese, a wide and well-stocked selection of wines, and several house specialties.

Circle, 604 Columbus Ave, +1 617-247-2537. Romantic lounge-aurant featuring contemporary French cuisine. Chef Malcom Aalders had a former Rialto chef consult with him to create the menu. A carefully selected beer list is available. They spin jazz music in the background and plan to bring live music, as had the establishment that previously occupied this space: Bob's Southern Bistro.

DeLux, 100 Chandler St. A cute south end hangout right off of Clarendon St. The drinks are fairly cheap, the atmosphere is cozy and the food is delicious.

Emilio's, 536 Tremont Street. Traditional Italian deli, great place to grab a sandwich or a slice. Cheap eats in the upper South End.

Franklin Cafe, 276 Shawmut Avenue. This place is very small and quickly gets crowded but it has great food and drinks. One of the only late-night (serves food until 1:45 a.m.) restaurants nearby.

Francesca's, 564 Tremont Street. Francesca's is a great place to grab some coffee and a muffin or to sit down for a sandwich or breakfast. They have a limited but tasty and cheap menu. The best part is definitely friendly wait staff.

Garden of Eden, 57 Tremont Street. Garden of Eden has a great brunch but expect to wait at least a half hour for in on the weekends. Their prices are definitely reasonable and it's a place worth checking out.

Rachel's Kitchen, 12 Church Street, (Bay Village), [13]. Rachel's is open Monday through Saturday for breakfast and lunch. Everything is prepared to order with an emphasis on freshness and quality. The place is tiny, seating only about 12 people comfortably.

Sibling Rivalry, 525 Tremont Street. Brother-chefs David and Robert Kinkead duel with culinary weaponry, melding an "Iron Chef" concept with a beautiful interior, healthy portions, a lively bar and a knowledgeable, friendly staff.

Stella, 1525 Washington Street. Stella is a modern, elegant Italian restaurant, great bar, pricey but food is well-worth it. They have a late-night menu and several specialty cocktails.

Thai Village, 592 Tremont St. This place is okay but there are definitely better Thai restaurants around Boston. (Try Chili Duck near the Prudential Center.) The food here tends to be slightly overpriced, but it is a lot cheaper than some of the neighboring South End restaurants.

Splurge

Aquitaine, 569 Tremont Street, +1 617-424-8577, [14]. A French bistro with great dinner and weekend brunch. Dinner will run about $120 with tax and tip. Brunch is a very affordable $15 a person. Small and slightly cramped, they do take reservations for dinner and brunch. Saturday brunch is prix fixe at $9.95.

Sorriso Italian Trattoria, 107 South St, +1 617-259-1560, [15]. A great Italian dinner trattoria with great rissoto and dessert.

Drink

Sibling Rivalry - great unique drink menu ($10)

L'Aquitane - very small bar, better to eat here

Rouge, Columbus Ave. Small but inviting bar.

Pho Republique - Very cool Vietnamese restaurant with a good bar scene after 11PM.

Franklin Cafe - Late night cuisine and crowded bar

Stella, Washington St. Great restaurant with a good bar crowd on the weekends

28 Degrees - Restaurant/Lounge atmosphere on Tremont

The Eagle - Really sleazy gay bar on Tremont. Fun to check out if you are being ironic.

Clery's, Columbus Ave. Largest south end bar. Long lines not much good to say about it.

Sleep

The Chandler Inn, 26 Chandler at Berkeley, is a clean, friendly, and affordable option.

Boston Furnished Apartments, 617-357-6900, Boston Furnished Apartments is a furnished apartment rental agency, offering an alternative to a hotel room. These rentals are private homes, condos or apartments located in residential buildings within the Back Bay, Beacon Hill, North End, South End, and Financial District neighborhoods. There are monthly, weekly and nightly rentals available. The homes range in size from smaller studios to one or two bedroom apartments, and all have fully equipped kitchens and private bathrooms. This is a unique way to experience the city like a Bostonian, in a brownstone home. Rental paperwork is required and most credit cards are accepted.

Respect

Visitors to the South End should understand while the area is very family-friendly, it is also very gay friendly place. Same sex couples are a common sight. Visitors who do not wish to visit the "Gay area" of town should refrain from visiting. If you don't like to hang out with gays that's ok too.